Oil from Barrier Reef crash washes up on sanctuary

SYDNEY (AP) - Globules of oil believed to be from a Chinese ship that slammed into Australia's Great Barrier Reef are washing up on a nearby wildlife sanctuary, officials said Wednesday in the latest environmental fallout from the crash.

The Shen Neng 1 coal carrier veered into protected waters and ran aground on Douglas Shoal on April 3, immediately leaking 2-3 tons of fuel when coral shredded its hull. The vessel tore a 2-mile- (3-kilometer-) long gash into the shoal, causing damage that one leading marine scientist said could take up to 20 years to heal.

On Wednesday, a team of about 25 people was working to clean up bits of oil that had begun washing ashore on North West Island, a turtle hatchery and bird sanctuary about 12 miles (18 kilometers) from where the ship crashed into the reef, said Adam Nicholson, a maritime safety spokesman for the northeastern state of Queensland.

The globules were about an inch (3 centimeters) wide, and were scattered across about a half-mile (1 kilometer) of beach on the island, the second largest coral key on the reef.

Officials had not officially confirmed the oil came from the Shen Neng, but suspected it had, given its proximity to the grounding site, Nicholson said. The cleanup was expected to be relatively quick, because the oil is confined to a small area, he said.

Queensland Transport Minister Rachel Nolan told Parliament on Wednesday that an aerial inspection of the island showed the oil spill was isolated.

"Initial reports are that it is a very small amount - but we remain vigilant," she said.

The 755-foot (230-meter) Shen Neng 1 was successfully lifted off the reef Monday after crews spent three days pumping fuel to lighten it. Salvage crews later towed it to an anchorage area near Great Keppel Island, 45 miles (70 kilometers) away.

Its refloating left a scar 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) long and up to 820 feet (250 meters) wide.

"There is more damage to this reef than I have ever seen in any previous Great Barrier Reef groundings," Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority chief scientist David Wachenfeld said Tuesday.

Most of the oil that first leaked from the hull was quickly dispersed by chemical sprays and is believed to have caused little or no damage.

The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species. The accident occurred in the southern tip of the reef, which is not the main tourism hub.

The reef was hit particularly badly because the vessel did not stay in one place once it grounded, Wachenfeld said. Instead, tides and currents pushed it along the reef, crushing and smearing potentially toxic paint onto coral and plants, he said.

In some areas, "all marine life has been completely flattened and the structure of the shoal has been pulverized by the weight of the vessel," Wachenfeld said, speaking of the fragile coral and the plants that may have inhabited the area.

Even if severe toxic contamination is not found at the site, initial assessments by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority indicate it could take 20 years for the coral reef to recover, Wachenfeld said.

Perhaps most concerning to the scientists is the chemical makeup of the paint used on the ship's hull, which divers have found spread across the vast majority of the impacted region.

Many oceangoing vessels are covered in what is known as "anti-fouling" paint, which prevents marine life from growing on their hulls and creating drag. Certain paints contain chemicals that prevent such growth, while others simply act as a barrier.

Scientists with the reef authority plan to analyze paint left by the Shen Neng to see if it contains heavy metals. If it does, Wachenfeld said, it would not only kill the marine life on the shoal, but prevent new life from colonizing there.

It will be at least another week before the full extent of the damage is known.

Australian authorities are investigating alleged breaches of law connected with the accident. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has since warned that cargo ships entering restricted waters would face the full force of the law.

The ship's owners, Shenzen Energy Transport, said last week they were cooperating with the investigation. They said the ship was traveling through a legal channel when it inexplicably failed to turn eastward to avoid the shoal.